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H2020Doctoral network2019–2024

FIDELIO · Training network for research into bone Fragility In Diabetes in Europe – towards a personaLised medIcine apprOach

Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2019-10-01 → 2024-03-31
EU contribution
€3,810,146
Participants
9
Scheme
MSCA-ITN

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

Training network for research into bone Fragility In Diabetes in Europe – towards a personaLised medIcine apprOach

Diabetes, either as type 1 (TID) or type 2 (T2D) currently affects around 500 million people worldwide. While there are treatments that help control blood sugar, people with diabetes are still at risk of serious health problems, affecting various organs of the body. Diabetes also has a long-term effect on bone health. Compared to non-diabetic people, patients with diabetes have a higher risk of fragility fractures. Fragility fractures are those that occur where healthy bone would not normally break, for example when falling from a standing position. Common fragility fractures include those of the hip and vertebrae (in the spine). Lower bone mineral density (as with osteoporosis) is a major factor in the risk of fragility fracture. However, it appears that bone structure and quality are also affected in people with diabetes, so contributing to a higher fracture risk. FIDELIO (Training network for research into Fractures In Diabetes in Europe – towards a personalised medicine approach) was funded by the European Union during 2019-2024. FIDELIO aimed to: -understand more about the effects of diabetes on bone health -assess how these changes may result in a higher risk of fragility fracture -and determine how we can use this new knowledge to help better diagnose and treat people with diabetes As an Innovative Training Network, FIDELIO has involved bone and diabetes scientific researchers, medical doctors and companies to train 14 PhD students (Early Stage Researchers, ESRs). Each student had their own individual research project investigating an aspect of bone health in diabetes. Overall, FIDELIO has contributed significantly to our understanding of how diabetes affects bone structure, its impact on bone cells, and fracture risk. The differing impacts of T1D and T2D on bone fragility and fracture risk have been clarified, and broader insights gained into the mechanisms of diabetes. New computational tools have been developed which will be useful in future research and clinical care.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

Diabetes mellitus has emerged as a novel risk factor for fragility fractures. While in type 1 diabetes the 3-fold overall relative risk for fractures may mostly derive from low bone mineral density (BMD) likely due to the lack of the bone-anabolic hormones, in type 2 diabetes, the fracture risk is increased about 2-fold, despite a normal or even higher BMD. This suggests that bone fragility in each form of diabetes develops by distinct mechanisms that to date remain largely unknown and may require an individualized approach for effective treatment. As the diabetes epidemic is increasing worldwide with aging, and the fractures that are associated with diabetes cause an increase in morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs, diabetes-induced osteoporosis imposes a significant burden on our society and our healthcare system. FIDELIO offers a comprehensive, multidisciplinary training program for Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) in this emerging field, unravelling i) the biological mechanisms that contribute to altered bone quality parameters with subsequent bone fragility in diabetes, ii) identify predictive markers for patient stratification and individualized interventions, and iii) develop novel imaging techniques to determine bone quality aspects. The research will employ well-defined patient cohorts, preclinical models of diabetic bone disease, in vitro studies, genetic databases, artificial intelligence, and cutting-edge imaging technologies in a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary environment. ESRs will be trained through individual research projects, secondments, residential courses, and webinars provided by a broad range of experts, including bone biologists, clinicians, epidemiologists, geneticists, engineers and entrepreneurs, as well as companies supporting this important area of research. The joint training programme will also develop transferable and entrepreneurial skills to help the ESRs succeed in their choice of professional future.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

  • TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET DRESDEN · DresdenCoordinatorGermany
  • EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH · ZuerichSwitzerland
  • ERASMUS UNIVERSITAIR MEDISCH CENTRUM ROTTERDAM · RotterdamNetherlands
  • SYDDANSK UNIVERSITET · Odense MDenmark
  • TAMIRNA GMBH · WIENAustria
  • THE UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD · SHEFFIELDUnited Kingdom
  • UNIVERSITA CAMPUS BIO MEDICO DI ROMA · RomaItaly
  • UNIVERSITAETSKLINIKUM HAMBURG-EPPENDORF · HamburgGermany
  • UNIVERSITE DE GENEVE · GeneveSwitzerland

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union